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by Nikki Flinn
Summary: Ginny Weasley is the editor of the Witching Hour. She's tough as nails and ready to prove it. Draco is more than a little bored and has decided to take it out on Ginny. Draco has no idea what he's gotten himself into.
1. Chapter 1

Ginny took a deep drag on the cig and studied the paper in her hands. She exhaled through her nose, the smoke billowing out to curl around the words of the memo. She would never understand why Albert couldn't just send her an email like everyone else in the damn building. No, he had to have hard copies of every blasted thing he wanted to send her.

Ginny leaned forward, annoyance trickling onto her expression as she continued to read the memo. She took another drag on her cig and held it out, over her shoulder to tap off the ashes.

"Jesus, Ginny!"

"Sorry," she muttered, not turning.

Michael Jensen brushed at the ashes on his pinstriped green and black shirt. "Watch where you're swinging that thing, Ginny."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Not now, Michael."

"Ginny, you really should quit those."

"I said," Ginny snapped, spinning in her chair to glare malevolently at Michael. "Not fucking now."

Michael blanched. Ginny's temper was well known around the news room. It made her a great editor. Everyone got their work in on time and never made the same mistake twice. However, it also drove a wedge between her and her employees.

Everyone was terrified of disappointing Ginny which meant everything got done. Except the work Albert had to do. Albert Schwine was the president of _The Witching Hour. _He only really had one job, and that was to manage the employees. He decided who to hire, who to fire, who got a raise, who got a promotion and of course, signed the paychecks.

He assured Ginny she was indispensible and when drunk he was known to mistake everyone else for Ginny and rant about how he would give her a raise. Albert had been promising raises to Ginny for eight years. She didn't care how much he was paying her (which was already more than she could spend in eight lifetimes). She cared if he got everything done in time and hired people who could actually do the jobs he hired them for.

Michael held up his hands in supplication. "Sorry, Ginny. I was just wondering if you'd approved the story on your brother."

Ginny tapped out the ashes of her cig into the wastebasket. "I told you, Michael, I'm not the one who will be approving it. Conflict of interest and all. I looked over it but Janice has the final say."

Michael stared at her blankly and she sighed. She put the cig between her teeth and turned to her computer. She quickly typed an IM to Janice and printed a copy of the story in question from her database then handed it to Michael.

"Take this to Janice. She'll know what to do."

Ginny turned in her chair, watching him leave. Poor kid.

She shook her head. There was nothing she could do about his incompetence but Albert was really starting to get on her nerves.

Draco sneered at his date. She failed to notice. Typical.

He had to wonder and worry (just a little) about the mental capabilities of the girls he dated. At least at Hogwarts the girls had had to be marginally intelligent. No, Veronica (or was it Victoria? They all blended together) was stupid. She hadn't made it into Hogwarts but rather had gone to a smaller school outside of Prague.

_Stupid inbreeding_, he thought. Keep messing around in the same gene pool and you were bound to have stupid broads like this one.

"I need someone smart," he muttered.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"Nothing," he muttered back, focusing on the menu again.

_I need someone smart, I need someone smart, I need someone smart._

(A/N: So this story got deleted. :( apparently you can't put the word bitch in your story summary. Ah, well. I'll post a chapter of this a week until we're caught up.


	2. Chapter 2

Ginny snarled in her usual nearly incoherent rage as she swept down the main hall to the stairs. The elevator was not nearly fast enough for this and she only had one floor to go down to get where she wanted to be.

She took the stairs two at a time going down, nearly crashing into Janice Forks on her way down. Janice looked (for a barest second) as if she was about to say something, an impression confirmed by the papers in her hand, but Ginny's second in command quickly decided otherwise and stepped out of Ginny's way.

Ginny nodded tersely at Janice then burst onto the main floor, the reporter's floor.

Every head in the floor followed Ginny with nervous anticipation as she stormed down the hall.

Michael, standing over Colleen Appelton, blanched as Ginny marched forward to loom behind Colleen.

"Michael," she whispered. "You're free to go."

Colleen tensed on hearing the voice of her editor-in-cheif, her boss and God to all the lowly reporters. She turned slowly, her face a mask of fright and defiance. Ginny remembered that Colleen was only a few months old at the company. _The Witching Hour_ had hired her and like so many of the newbies, Colleen had spent the first month or so in fear of Ginny's towering reputation. Since Ginny usually called employees to her office to berate them, most of the peons never saw the real wrath of Ginny. Ginny usually let this be but this was Colleen's third offense. She wanted to make an example of the stupid girl.

"Miss Weasley..." Colleen began, starting to rise to her feet. Her hope had to be to look stronger by 'standing' up to Ginny.

Ginny knew she was taller than Colleen and grabbed the girl's shoulder, forcing her down into her chair again. "No need to rise on my account," Ginny purred in silibant tones.

Colleen went further pale.

"Miss Weasley, what..."

"What am I doing here? Maybe it's because I like to get to know my employees. Maybe it's because I want to make sure you're fitting in. Or maybe it's this peice of shit that you call journalism," Ginny snapped, her voice rising to ringing tones on the final words.

The entire floor was watching. The majority would know that Ginny was being harsh yet they also knew the truth behind their boss's words. Ginny was a bitch, but she never chewed someone out unless they deserved it. A few of them had even started a pool as to when Ginny would step in.

Colleen winced. "Miss Weasley, I don't really think it's that bad..."

"Not that bad?" Ginny repeated. "Do you really think so?"

"Well, if you'll look..."

"That was fucking rhetorical," Ginny snapped, slapping the papers on the table. "Who the fuck thought it would be good idea to assign you to Current Affairs?"

"Well...um..."

"I did," Ginny snapped. "Now, Miss Appelton, we have a problem here. You see I made the decision that put you in this horrible position. Obviously I've asked too much of you by putting you as a _real_ journalist. Maybe we could find you a more useful job that you're appropriately suited for. Like making coffee. No. That's a bit too difficult. We wouldn't want you fucking up the decaf, now would we?"

Colleen's cheeks were crimson and she looked close to crying. The humiliation was bad enough. It was made worse by the calm, even tone Ginny had adopted, as if this was just a regular average day and they were discussing the weather.

"Miss Weasley, I can do better."

"I know you can. And from now on that's what I expect. Better. You can start with this."

Ginny gestured to the papers and started walking away. She kept talking, raising her voice as she went.

"I expect better from you, Miss Appelton. Don't be a goddam disappointment or you will be docked to less than half your pay and I will set you to parking cars. And if you think I can't just read your bloody contract."

Ginny called the elevator and stepped inside. "As you were," she said, her clear voice reaching every corner of the floor.

Ginny leaned against the wall as the car started up. She needed a fucking cig.

The doors opened on her floor and she glowered at Janice as her second in command grinned at her. "So who got their ass handed to them?"

"Appelton," Ginny replied, pulling out a cig.

"I thought you were quitting."

"Next year."

"So what did Colleen do?"

"Crappy work. It isn't just that she had a bad day or anything. Little bitch was being lazy."

"Did you fire her?" Janice asked nervously. Janice hated it when Ginny fired people willynilly. It always fell to Janice to clean up.

"Not yet. I will be keeping an eye on her."

"You didn't fire her? I'm surprised."

"She can do better and we all know it. After all, I hired her. Any way, I gave her a warning. Let me know if you see her slipping."

Janice nodded. "By the way, you have a visitor."

Ginny glanced at Janice as she pulled out her lighter. "Who?"

Janice's expression told Ginny.

"Oh, shit. You've got to be fucking kidding me," Ginny whined.

Janice shook her head. "He's in your office."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck. What does the cunting bastard expect from me?"

"Maybe the truth?"

"Not on your bloody life. Bastard would die if I told him that."

"What great publicity that would be," Janice commented with a smile.

Ginny rolled her eyes and put her lighter away. The cig would have to wait. "Yeah, Harry Potter died today of a massive coronary embolism whilst visiting the Editor of _The Witching Hour_. Just the kind of publicity we want."

* * *

Draco stared in disbelief at the article. How dare they! The whole damn thing was true, but what the hell gave those bastards the right? He glanced at the article even as Veronica (Veruca? Vitrol?) giggled and pulled at his arm. He resisted the urge to slap her.

"Draco? What are you upset about?"

"Nothing," he muttered. "I just have to take care of something. I trust you can see yourself out."

She started in on the usual outraged exclamations but Draco didn't stick around. He had to have a word with Michael Jensen.


	3. Chapter 3

Ginny stood outside her office and took a deep breath. She really did not want to go into the room and deal with Harry. She wanted to pretend Harry had never come here. She wanted to shove Conrad Winston out of his office and hide there all day.

But Ginny knew this problem wasn't one she could yell away or better yet, fire and be done with it. Sooner or later she would have to handle Harry and his affection for her.

So Ginny sighed and slipped the much needed cigarette behind her ear before marching into her office.

Harry had been looking at something on Ginny's desk but he looked up as she entered, that horribly handsome smile on his face.

Ginny couldn't help but stare at him. She wanted to rail at him like she did her employees but that wasn't going to work. Like Janice said, she didn't need a dead body on her hands. Harry had never heard her so much as raise her voice, let alone go to town on somebody. The shock would kill him.

So Ginny gave him a weak smile. "Hi, Harry."

"Hi, Ginny," he returned happily and Ginny felt like the lowest piece of shit on earth. She could handle late articles and disgruntled employees but that happy note of hope in Harry's voice was more than she could ever bear.

"What brings you here, Harry?" Ginny asked, coming over to sit down at her desk.

"Just thought I'd talk to you," Harry started and Ginny winced again. She didn't want to talk. She wanted to make him get over her but that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

Sitting behind her desk, Ginny should have felt confident and able but she just felt like she was hiding. It annoyed her and she longed to lash out but she knew she would catch hell from Mum if she took it out on Harry, even if he was the source of her discomfort.

"About what?" Ginny asked, crossing her legs and leaning back. She knew it made her look in command, a feeling she was sadly lacking right now but she was determined to do her best.

"Well, your mom talked to me the other day."

Ginny resisted a wince. Mum would want to talk to him. Mum had no idea what exactly went on in the office, but she knew that back when Ginny first started the job and was still living with her parents, she would come home either in tears or looking like the living dead. Ginny had come far from her first position in the media industry and now she was the one reducing her coworkers to tears. You either got over it or you quit and Ginny had no intention of quitting.

"What does she want to talk about?" Ginny asked. She was only half paying attention. Her mind was really on the cigarette she wanted.

"She wants me to try to talk some sense into you."

Ginny flinched. Molly Weasley had never approved of Ginny's chosen occupation. Ginny understood but she really wished her mother would just let it be. Instead she routinely sent someone out to 'talk sense into her' at least once a month.

Harry seemed to be the unlucky fellow this time. Hermione had been sent twice in the past and Ron even more times. Now that Ginny had her own flat and had bought him an incredibly nice chess set for Christmas, Ron seemed to think his sister was doing just fine.

Not to mention the fact that his baby sister wasn't dating anyone at all. Ron liked Harry well enough but when it came to Ginny, no one was good enough.

"Harry, I'm doing just fine," Ginny said, smiling at him, presenting the front he wanted to see. "I have a great job. It's a little demanding at times, but I imagine being an Auror is as well."

Harry chuckled and Ginny relaxed a bit. Part of the reason she had been given this job was because of her ability not only to yell at people and get things done but also her ability to keep people in their comfort zones, to keep them from suing the company every five minutes.

"Isn't that the truth?" he laughed then sighed. "Look, Ginny, just think about it, okay? You know if you want to quit we'll always be here for you."

Read: If you want to quit I will gladly take you back with open arms and you can be my little stay at home wife/girlfriend/whatever.

_Tempting, Harry_, Ginny thought sarcastically but she smiled at him as they stood up. She gave him a brief hug before he left. His arms lingered but Janice burst into the office just then.

"Ginny, got a moment?"

Ginny almost cried with relief and nodded as Harry said goodbye again.

Ginny collapsed into her seat and sighed happily. "Thank you, Janice."

Janice laughed and leaned over to light Ginny's cig. "I understand. You looked like you were floundering a little in here."

Ginny laughed. "That's an understatement," Ginny groused.

Janice laughed and looked ready to say something but the phone rang at that moment. Ginny grimaced and took a drag on her cig before she answered it.

"Go for it."

"Ginny?" came the voice of Kim Seraphin, the floor manager for the floor just below. Ginny immediately felt her head begin to ache. Kim never called unless there was a problem she couldn't handle.

"What is it Kim? Is it Appelton?"

"I wish," Kim scoffed. "No, there's a very handsome, very blond gentleman down here who seems to want to kill Michael for some reason."

Ginny put her head in her hand and sighed. Draco Malfoy could have saved her a lot of trouble if he had bothered to figure out that she was the person responsible for the article rather than taking it out on Michael.

"Ginny?" Kim began again.

"Tell the moron to hold his fucking horses. I'll be down in a bleedin' minute."

(A/N: Not much to say here. Hope you like it!


	4. Chapter 4

There was a very hot brunette sitting in the corner, watching the ongoings with considerable consternation. Draco had his wand out and pointed at Michael Jensen which annoyed the brunette. Michael, in accordance to Ginny's work place rules, had left his wand below in his locker.

"Put down your goddamn wand, you fucking gorilla," snapped a resounding voice.

All attention turned to the elevator. Ginny Weasley, looking like a cross between a Valkyrie and an avenging angel, stood in the doors of the elevator, her head ringed with smoke.

Draco couldn't help but stare. The brunette relaxed. Ginny had this well under control.

Ginny glanced at the brunette, sparing her a brief smile then stalked over to Draco, trailing a line of cigarette smoke behind her as she went.

Employees scattered, waiting for her to explode. They had seen Ginny pissed before and for once they were excited. This wasn't one of them under the gun. It was someone else. They were thrilled.

"Miss Weasley. This is between Michael and I."

"The fuck it is. I know why you're here."

"Oh? Do you often publish slanderous material on prominent leaders under pseudonyms? Because this little fuck's name was on the article."

"Yes. And who do you think authorized that? If, you cretinous moron, you had bothered to look on the front page of our goddamn paper, you would have noticed something."

Ginny held out a hand and like magic, a paper appeared in it. She didn't even bother flipping through just scanned the front. "Why how queer," she drawled. "It looks as if they didn't forget to put my name on the paper. Fancy that."

She shoved it at Draco who caught it and looked at the heading. Sure enough, under the staff column, listed as editor in chief was Ginny Weasley.

"So, you see," Ginny continued. "I am in charge of everything that comes through this paper. If it has our logo at the top, don't you dare complain to a peon. If you have an issue with something one of _my_ staff wrote, bring it up with me. I've personally approved ninety percent of everything that comes through this paper."

Ginny folded her arms. "Now then, did you have a problem with me?"

"No," Draco replied. "I have a problem with Jensen here."

Draco pointed his wand at Michael again and Ginny sighed in annoyance. "Expelliarmus," she snapped and caught Draco's wand as it flew at her.

"Come on, you cretin," she snarled.

Draco looked mildly taken aback and started towards her, apparently ready to obey her now.

Ginny swore viciously as Harry Potter burst into the scene.

"Ginny? I heard a spell and...Bloody Hell!" he gasped, seeing Draco. In an instant, Harry had his wand out and pointed at Draco. Draco snatched his wand from Ginny's hand and had it pointed at Harry.

Ginny snarled in annoyance as the two boys began throwing spells at each other.

"Fuck my life," she growled then pulled her own wand out. Her employees immediately sought cover.

Ginny aimed her wand carefully and shouted "Duro."

Immediately Harry's cloak turned to stone. Draco laughed as Harry struggled with the hard cloak. Ginny turned on him quickly, shouting a different charm. Draco yelled in surprise as his shirt caught fire. Ginny used his distraction to take his wand again.

"Harry, thank you, but I can handle this. Malfoy. My office. Now."

With that, Ginny turned and swept from floor. The reporters watched her with a mix of trepidation and awe. Colleen Appelton suddenly understood just how lucky she had been. Her earlier humiliation paled next to this.

The pretty brunette considered following Ginny up to her office then thought better of it and decided to comfort Michael.

(A/N: Gotta love Bitch!Ginny

To Ami- All that and more, my friend! Thanks for the review.


	5. Chapter 5

Ginny slammed open the door to her office and stalked in. She took her usual seat behind her desk and sighed in delight as the usual feeling of power and control slipped over her like a second skin.

She leaned back as Draco took a seat before her.

"What the hell was that about downstairs?" she snapped. "You know damn well that I'm in charge of this place. What exactly did you hope to gain from badgering Michael?"

He smirked at her. "Are you pissed because I unmanned your boy toy in public?"

"Hardly. And he's not my boy toy. He's dating one of my undercover reporters as a matter of fact."

"So Potter's your boy toy?"

"What is your damage? You're like a broken record with this boy toy thing. My business is no concern of yours. What is my bloody concern is what the fuck you want with my magazine."

"I want you to print a retraction of that article you authorized. The one about me."

"Is that all?" she asked.

"Yes."

"No fucking way," she replied and pulled a few sheets of paper to her. She popped the top off a red pen and began scribbling on the page. After a few moments, she looked up in mild surprise.

"What are you still doing here?"

"That's it? You just say no?"

"Pretty much. We don't print retractions unless we're wrong. We're not wrong so you're _not_ getting a retraction from us. Good day to you."

"Now wait just a damn minute!"

"What part about that did you not understand?" Ginny asked with a sigh. "We don't print retractions unless we're wrong. Get over yourself and get out of my office."

"Now listen, Weasley," he growled, rising to his feet and slamming his hands on the desk. "We both know if this was your precious Potter you'd be bending backwards to appease him."

Ginny slammed her own fist down. The pen she was holding buried itself in the wood of her desk, right between Draco's middle finger and ring finger. He stared at it as she let go. The pen quivered for a second.

"I don't fucking print retractions. Regardless of who it is, Malfoy. You can be the goddamn Queen and it won't change a damn word of what's true and what's not. You had an affair with the Countess of Remoul and if you didn't want someone to find out about it, you should have fucking paid off more people. Now, unless you want our _next_ article concerning _you_ to be about the bloody massacre and the fetid carcass they could barely recognize, then get the fuck out of my office and don't come bothering me unless you really didn't do what we said you did."

She snatched the pen from the table and began scribbling furiously again.

Draco stared at her then very carefully backed away.

Once outside her office, Draco allowed himself a moment to gather himself again. Ginny Weasley scared the shit out of him and he wasn't ashamed to admit it. But if she thought he was giving up, she was sorely mistaken. He might be on the Count of Remoul's top most hated list, but that didn't mean Draco was going to give her the satisfaction of falling into obscurity.

No, he was just going to have to make her wish she had printed that retraction.

He smoothed his shirt and smirked. This was going to be fun.

(A/N: If Ginny scares you, you're not alone. This chapter was fun.


	6. Chapter 6

Ginny set Colleen Appelton's article to the side with a considerable feeling of relief. The article was well done and damn near perfect. She smiled to herself. Apparently intimidation worked.

She looked up as the pretty brunette from a few days ago entered her office.

"Hey, Millie, enjoy your trip?"

Millicent Bulstrode was Ginny's top undercover reporter. She was pretty but still unsure of herself enough that she never built up her beauty but rather hid it which made it easy for her to slip in and out of places.

Millie nodded and took a seat opposite Ginny. "Yelled at my boyfriend lately?"

Ginny shook her head. Of all the men and women who had worked under Ginny, Millicent was the only one who hadn't ever screwed up. The two women were still on a professional level with each other but Ginny found it easier to be the girl she once had been around Millie.

"Michael's finally figuring a few things out," Ginny said, reaching for her cigarettes.

"I thought you were quitting."

Ginny set the aside again, reluctantly. "I'm trying but every time I do, an idiot like Malfoy barges in and I have to ask myself again why I joined this profession."

Millie laughed. "I actually wanted to talk to you…"

"About?"

"A vacation."

Ginny didn't even blink. "From your job or from this company?"

"I'd really rather like to get out of undercover work, if it's all the same, Gin."

Ginny knew that she could pressure Millie into staying if she laid it on. Millie was her best undercover, but she also knew that things were starting to heat up with Michael.

Ginny resisted the urge to reach for her smokes again and leaned back. "So what should I put you on instead?" she asked.

Millie grinned. "I was hoping you could put me on Sports, if that's okay?"

Ginny thought about it for a moment. Millie had always been into Quidditch and something she called football. She mentally tabulated the Sorts world for her paper.

There were three sports reporters but they were all more on the Muggle side of sports. They shared her father's love of all things Muggle and preferred to report on basketball and cricket.

The only real obstacle would be Spencer Hannagan. Spencer was a decent kid and Ginny stressed the kid part. The problem was he was convinced he was in love with Ginny. Ginny knew for a fact that he wasn't. And if he was, she would kill the little squirt.

"I'll talk to Spencer. Are you sure this is what you want, Millie?"

Millie nodded. "It was great while it lasted, but…"

Ginny gave a disgusted sigh. "You really love him, don't you?"

"He's not asking me to quit, if that's what you're thinking."

"He wouldn't. He's too far gone to ever think of that."

Ginny sighed again. "Get going. I'll call Spence."

Millie squealed and ran around the desk to hug Ginny.

Ginny laughed and returned the hug.

Ginny watched Millie skip out of the room and smiled. She didn't want to go back to the woman she had to be. She wanted to be carefree and casual like Millie. She wanted a man who loved her but who knew she had to be who she was.

She sat there, feeling old doubts and problems rise again to the surface. She wanted to go back to school, when she could love, when she could feel without wondering who was watching.

She lowered her head to her hands and fought back the tears.

(A/N: I really wanted to give you guys a glimpse behind the mask Ginny made for herself. I don't want her to seem too different. I mean, she is kinda a bitch, but I want you guys to know that she's capable of returning to that girl she once was. She does have to have the mask and you guys will find out why in later chapters.


	7. Chapter 7

"What the hell is this?" Kim Seraphin snapped, tossing the paper at Ginny's head.

Ginny caught the paper and glared at her Floor manager. Kim flushed darkly but held her ground almost well enough for Ginny to applaud her.

"What is what?" Ginny asked.

"Page thirteen."

Ginny obediently turned the magazine to page thirteen, noting that the magazine in question was _The Witch's Rag_, a small time publication out of Oxford.

She studied the article on page thirteen and felt rage bubbling up. As she read the article it was accompanied by a begrudging sense of respect and amusement.

"How the hell could you not tell me that you were seeing him?" Kim demanded. "You're dating Draco Malfoy, the _most eligible_ bachelor in the entire fucking world and you don't think to say anything to me?"

"I'm not seeing him," Ginny said, slapping the paper down on her desk.

"Bull fucking shit. Pictures speak a thousand words."

Ginny looked down at the picture and had to smile. "Oh yeah they do."

In the picture, Ginny had her back to the camera. The only way to know it was really her was the fact that you could see her long red hair and her wand. The wand itself was extremely distinctive, a white beech one she had gotten after the war to replace the one she broke. There were only three like it in the world.

The picture was pretty incriminating. In it, Draco stood on the other side of her, his stormy eyes, just visible above her head, fixed on her face and one hand on her neck.

"So what the fucking hell, Ginny?"

Ginny sighed. "There are several problems with this picture," she said. "For starters, it is four years old, taken just after the war, as a matter of fact. You will notice that my hair was a lot longer back then."

"Charms," Kim snarled.

"Secondly, I have not worn that hideous pink shirt since Fleur gave it to me."

Kim's face shifted as she stared down at the picture. Both women knew that Ginny looked awful in pink, especially the pink peasant top Fleur had given her all those years ago.

"Finally, that is not the original photograph."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it is, but it isn't. See, that is a still from the original picture. Here, let me show you."

She reached into her desk and pulled out a four by six photograph. It was a magical one and as it landed on the desk, Malfoy reached around and took Ginny by the neck. He leaned forward and Ginny's right knee came up and into his crotch. He fell, down and out of the frame. Ginny turned to the camera with an expression of disgust and Kim could clearly make out that Ginny was barely more than seventeen in the picture.

"So who all had a copy of this picture?"

"Two people."

"So, you and...?"

"Why the lovely man who gave Godlen his exclusive."

Kim stared down at the article. "Draco Malfoy," both women said in unison.

Kim looked up at Ginny. Her face still looked slightly amused but there was a grimness to the amusement that said that Draco Malfoy was going to die.

(A/N: Yeah, Draco gonna die.

To LilyLove: You are not imagining things. I did have this posted through chapter twelve when the mods pulled it down. Apparently you can't swear in the summary. So I'm reposting this one. I've been doing one a week updates and will do so until I get caught up to where I was.


	8. Chapter 8

Draco was not surprised in the least to receive the invitation to come see Ginny at the _Witching Hour_. He figured the lovely interview he gave the _Witch's Rag_ was sure to get her attention. He had been getting phone calls non-stop for the past few days, since the article came out. Doubtless she was being bothered for the truth of the matter.

And whatever she said, however she protested, it would pale in comparison to him showing up at her office today. He had a very strong love potion on hand for the occasion.

All he had to do was slip it into her drink and it would all be set.

He figured he would string her along for a few weeks before letting her off the hook. He hadn't decided if he planned to un-enchant her or let her stay in love with him. Both were equally tempting.

He sauntered into her office that afternoon, late from fighting off the press outside. She sat at her desk, leaning back in her chair, fingers steepled before her pretty face. He was surprised how civil she looked. Her face was virtually unreadable.

He leered at her, feeling triumph rush through his veins. He had her on the offensive.

"Mr. Malfoy," she began softly and he felt chills run their course though he kept his face neutral.

"Yes, my love?" he drawled.

"Are you thirsty?" she asked suddenly.

He nearly grinned. "A little. Shall I get us some coffee?"

She nodded sharply. "Please. Black. The machine is in the break room."

He practically skipped down the hall to the break room. He grabbed two mugs at random, careful to keep them as similar as possible. He poured the love potion in one then added coffee to both, adding cream to his for good measure.

Ginny was still in her earlier position when he returned. He handed her the coffee and she took it. He drank half of his as he watched her take a hearty swig of her own. He could have laughed with success.

"Mr. Malfoy," she began again.

"Please, call me Draco," he purred.

"All right, Draco. Do you have any idea the penalties the British Isles have for defamation?"

Draco nearly fell out of his chair. "Wh-what?"

"The United Kingdom has a very strict take on libel, Draco," she said.

"What do you mean?"

She gestured to the paper still sitting on her desk. "You are familiar with this article, I'm sure. Now, under normal circumstances an article like this would simply be written off as gossip and it would have been published as such. Like Elvis sightings, there is hardly a week gone by when some magazine out there claims that you are marrying someone new. Likewise for Mr. Potter. Now the problem here is that the rumor in question is substantiated by one of the people involved. Namely, you. Which makes it libel. So I ask again, do you have any idea the penalties in place for libel?"

He shook his head, utterly thunder-stuck. As if to add to his confusion, Ginny took another healthy gulp of her coffee.

"English law allows actions for libel to be brought to the High court for any published statements alleged to defame a named or identifiable individual in a manner that causes them loss in their trade or profession, or causes a reasonable person to think worse of them. So you see, Draco, I could justifiably take you to court."

"Wait a second, libel is designed to make people think worse of you or hurt your trade. How does a rumor like this do so?" he demanded angrily.

She looked at him levelly. "There are nearly three hundred readers out there that will drop my magazine like a Bludger if they thought I was in cohorts with a well known Death Eater."

"Alleged," he snarled.

"Alleged," she conceded. "You see my point. Unless you were to severely change your ways, there is no doubt in my mind that I would lose a good half of my readers. Now, whether you knew this or not when you made these slanderous claims is neither here nor there."

She got to her feet and put her hands on the table, leaning across until she was almost touching him. She smelled fantastic, a mix of good coffee and strawberry which he assumed was from her shampoo.

"The facts remain and if you do not print a retraction of this article by the end of the week, I will see to it that you are taken to court and trust me when I say there is not a jury in our world that will fail to find you guilty as sin."

He tried not to flinch but instinct won out and she smiled at him.

"That's what I thought," she said, taking a seat. As if to add insult to injury, which she probably intended, she drained the rest of her coffee and smiled at him. "Damned fine drink, don't you think?"

He got to his feet slowly and stared down at her, trying to marshal his thoughts. "How did you know?"

She smirked. "I didn't. I did figure you would try something like this. Simple neutralization spell on all the cups covered that. Now be a good boy and run along. You have a lot of press conferences to attend, my love."

(A/N: So, Because I forgot to update last week, you guys get TWO new chapters. Well, kinda new chapters.


	9. Chapter 9

"Someone's got it bad."

Draco glared at Blaise as he stalked down the hall of his father's mansion. "Don't make me kill you, Blaise," he snapped.

Blaise held up his hands. "Hey, don't kill the messenger. I just haven't seen you this devoted to something in...well ever."

"I do not feel for that..._girl. _She is merely proving difficult."

"Oh, you mean she's actually got a head on those fine shoulders of hers."

"Exactly. The girl is ridiculously resourceful."

"I thought you were looking for a smart girl," Blaise pointed out.

"Not that smart," Draco growled. "The damned bitch forced me to write a full retraction. And she had the presence of mind to thwart my plans."

"So it is all right for you to ruin her plans but Merlin forbid she do the same to you. Is that it?"

"Thank Merlin you understand," Draco said. He turned to his friend but one look at the dark man said his compatriot had been joking. "Fuck you, Zabini."

Blaise laughed and walked faster to keep up with his friend. "So what exactly was your grand plan?" he asked in what he hoped was a casual tone. Draco did not immediately glare at him so he assumed he might be on the way towards forgiven.

"Fuck if I know. She's good but she has to have some weakness somewhere."

"Just date one of her co-workers," Blaise suggested.

Draco wrinkled his nose. "There is not a decent one among that whole lot."

"What about Millie?"

Draco stared at him. "Millicent? Bulstrode? What the hell? Is everyone betraying me for that strumpet?"

"What strumpet?" Narcissa asked as the two men came into the dining room.

"No one, Mother," Draco said, snapping a glare at Blaise.

Narcissa narrowed her eyes but let it be. "Very well. What are your plans, Draco?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, taking a seat at the table.

"You are nearly twenty five. I think that it's about time you settled down."

"Mother," he began, his voice dripping charisma.

"Don't mother me," she snapped. "I want grandchildren, damnit. I have half a mind to adopt Teddy."

"Sa- Mr. Potter is Teddy's legal guardian," Draco pointed out.

Nacissa frowned. "How regrettably true. So that leaves you with a dilemma, my son."

"I'm not going to go out and marry some trollop simply because you have unresolved parental issues," he returned.

Narcissa's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Nor would I allow you. No, my darling son, you are going to marry the woman you have already picked out."

He frowned at her, not entirely sure what she was saying.

She rose to her feet and crossed to him, sliding a paper down the table as she went. Draco felt the blood drain from his face when he saw which article the paper was opened to.

"Here it stands, my son. You have a year to woo and marry Miss Weasley, or you shall be cut off...entirely."

(A/N: Hahahahaha! Draco is screwed.


	10. Chapter 10

Ginny rubbed her eyes and glared at her computer screen. The oppressive white of the column's lines was irritating her already tired eyes.

"Congrats," Kim said, coming into her office.

Ginny gratefully took a break from the issues she was having with margins and looked at Kim.

"For what?"

Kim tossed another paper on the table. Ginny recognized the _Witch's Rag_ and smiled as she flipped through it. Malfoy's retraction was much smaller than the original article had been but she still enjoyed every word of it.

She laughed. "I may have to frame this," she declared.

"You can practically feel his reluctance in every line," Kim replied happily. "Out of curiosity, how did you get him to print that?"

"Threatened to take him to court for libel," Ginny said.

"You do know that the_ Witch's Rag_ no longer is eligible for libel claims. They make a very big point in each issue of pointing out that pretty much every article is hearsay and should not be taken seriously. And no one does."

"Oh, I know that. Todd and I had a huge laugh over it as a matter of fact. But our darling idiot doesn't know."

"You're horrible. Oh, have you gotten around to filling that vacant position yet?"

"For the field work? Not a chance in hell. You want it?"

"God no! I like sitting behind a desk all day," Kim said. "Have you had any nibbles yet?"

"A few. Not as many as I should."

"Looks like word got out that you're a bitch."

"Thank you _so_ much for that," Ginny replied dryly.

"You're welcome," Kim said as Janice came into the office.

"I'll just get going then," Kim said. She and Janice had a long standing rivalry. Originally they had both been in line for Ginny's job until Albert hired the redhead. They still hated each other and Ginny was forced to play middleman.

Ginny watched Kim leave and sighed. "I wish I could just order you two to get the fuck over your little feud."

"Why don't you?" Janice asked.

"Would either of you listen? Now what cha got for me?"

"You're not going to like it..."

"Fuck me. How loud am I going to have to yell?"

"Winston Thursday wants to sue us for that article we wrote."

"Fuckall. That was a year ago!"

"Yeah, well he's been out of town until a few months ago."

"Jackass," Ginny muttered. "Get me his number."

Janice pulled a slip of paper from her pocket and handed it to Ginny. "I thought that might be your reaction. The first is his home."

Ginny punched in the number quickly and hit speaker-phone, fixing the margins on her computer quickly as she listened to the phone ring on the other end.

The answering machine kicked in and Ginny hung up. She saved the piece she was working on and dialed the secondary number.

This time she found herself talking to Winston's secretary who informed her that Mr. Thursday was out of the office right now and would not be back for several days. Ginny kept her tone cordial and the secretary seemed fooled for she willingly gave Ginny Winston's cell number.

Janice grinned as Ginny punched in the final number. Like everyone else in the paper, Janice really enjoyed watching Ginny yell at anyone other than herself.

"Mr. Thursday?" Ginny began politely.

"Yes?" replied the gruff voice on the other end.

"This is Ginevra Weasley at _The Witching Hour_."

"Mrs Weasley," he snapped. "Have you any idea how slanderous that article was? I demand that you fire the bitch that published it."

"You mean the bitch that wrote it. I'm the bitch that published it."

"Then fire yourself. That article was entirely off base! If you don't publish a retraction immediately, I will sue your magazine."

"Mr. Thursday, sue all you like. I do not print retractions."

"Mrs. Weasley, you listen to my warning..."

"No you listen to me, Mr Thursday. This is my paper. I personally approve every goddamned motherfucking word that you see on the pages. If you have a problem with anything I've approved you discuss it with me. I've told you my stance on retractions and you'll be sorely mistaken if you think that I bend my rules even a little for a pissant like you. Now the way I see it is you have two options. You can let it be. The article was over a year ago and I highly doubt that a single damned person remembers anything we said. If that doesn't suit you then I will be more than happy to see your paltry ass in court."

There was silence for a few minutes then, just as Ginny was thinking he had hung up, he replied.

"Fuck you, Mrs Weasley."

"It's Miss," Ginny corrected and picked up the receiver before slamming it down so hard that the plastic cracked.

She scowled at it and whipped out her wand, repairing it quickly.

"What do you think?" Janice asked.

"Prepare a statement. I doubt he'll take us to court but just to be on the safe side."

"Why won't he?"

"Like I said, the article was a year ago. Almost no one remembers it and as soon as he figures that out, he'll realize how much press that unfortunate incident will generate if he brings it back up. Not to mention the fact that a full investigation might be ordered which would destroy his business."

Janice shook her head. "Whatever you say, Gin."

(A/N: And Bitch!Ginny returns.

To FortuneCookie101- Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Nine

"Ron is going to kill you. You know that, right?" Harry asked conversationally.

Pansy made a face. "It's no wonder you Gryffs can't do anything right. You have no sense of adventure."

"I like to think I have just the right amount of adventure in my life. Now that the war is over, I think a bit of relaxation is due me."

"Blasphemy," she said. "We're going to work with tireless resolve to get Weasley with Draco."

"Oh good. I thought we were going to just lounge around and drink lots of caffeinated beverages."

"Sarcasm does not become you, Mr. Potter," she said.

He smiled. He was starting to see why so many guys picked girls that were difficult and hard to deal with. It was fun. Plus, Pansy came up with some great plans.

Well, they would be great if they worked.

"Pansy, there's no way Ron is going to go along with this."

"What if you and Granger team up on him?" she asked.

"What, you think he'll magically do everything she wants just because they're seeing each other? You really don't know how love works then."

"Well he's a lot more likely to listen to her than he is to me and we need him in on this."

"So I'm your errand boy?"

"Yes," she answered. "Is the big bad Gryffindor going to cry about it?"

He looked at her, a little surprised to see she was smiling. It was a happy smile, as if he had told her a grand joke or done something very nice. She wasn't being mean. She was just being herself.

He liked it.

"Fine, I'll talk to him. But you might want to think of a plan B while I'm gone. Just saying."

He left on that note. He knew Ron would probably be at the Quidditch field and it was there he headed first. Sure enough someone was flying around the pitch. To cinch it, Hermione was sitting in the stands, her head buried in a book. As he started up, she looked up, her attention going first to the flying figure then to him. Her face, which had been tender when she looked at Ron, changed to warmth of a different degree.

"Hey, Harry. What can I do for you?"

"I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this, but I have to ask. Will you help me and Pansy get Ginny and Malfoy together?"

"Of course. But you know I have to talk to Ron about it."

"Actually, Pansy wants Ron in on the plan."

"I've never known her to be stupid. But I guess the Slytherin side has to prevail at some point."

"Are you saying all Slytherins are stupid?"

"No. I'm saying they all have crappy plans. If Ron agrees to the overall plan, she and I are going to have to have words about the details."

"Oh, this is just all kinds of fun waiting to happen."

"Potter."

Harry looked up. Draco was standing in front of them, looking like it pained him to even be talking to them.

"Hey, Lover," Hermione chirped. "Long time, no see. You better be careful how long you hang. I think Ron's still a bit jealous."

"I am something worthy of being jealous of," he sniffed. "I need you two to do me a favor."

"What?" Harry asked.

"Convince Ginny Weasley to date me."

"Great plan," Harry said. He caught Hermione's eye and she mouthed 'crappy'. They both burst out laughing.

"I'm not asking for a serious commitment," Draco hurried to say. "I just want a date. Two hours of her time."

"We'll see what we can do," Harry said. "But you'd better get. Ron looks like he's coming over here to kick your ass."

"Fair enough," Draco said and trotted off.

Ron had landed his broom and now came over to them, scowling at the departing Draco.

"What did that git want?"

"To get back together with Hermione," Harry said with no small amount of glee.

"Don't be mean, Harry," Hermione admonished. "He wants us to convince Ginny to go out with him."

"Never going to happen. "

"C'mon," Harry said happily. "I think they'd be the cutest couple. Ginny would be constantly trying to kill him. He'd be undermining her authority with vicious rumors and you and the others would be kept nice and busy trying to find ways to kill him without Ginny finding out. I mean you wouldn't want her to know you were the one who actually pulled the trigger. I'm pretty sure she'd turn her murderous side on you."

"You're right," Hermione said, warming to the topic. "It's one thing if she kills him but she wouldn't ever want anyone else to have the pleasure. It's a great plan. They wouldn't get into any trouble because they'd be so busy trying to kill each other. It would be like Wednesday and Pugsley."

Ron and Harry looked at each other then at her.

"From the Addams Family? C'mon, I can't be the only one to get that?"

"Don't be silly," Harry said. "Wednesday tried to kill Pugsley way more than he tried to kill her. I'm pretty sure it would be mutual if they ever got together."

"How true."

"My sister would kick his ass." Ron looked a little crazed and Harry discretely took a step away from him. "We're going to do it. My sister is going to go on a date with him and tear his soul apart."

He stormed off to change.

"Harry, I worry about my boyfriend sometimes," Hermione said conversationally.

"Word," Harry replied.

(A/N: Gotta love Harry and Hermione when they're being devious.


End file.
